


Gloves On

by dralexreid



Series: Dr Piper Bishop [75]
Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Gen, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 21:08:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29797926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dralexreid/pseuds/dralexreid
Summary: Piper and Spencer's relationship gets tested when she chooses to fo undercover at an MMA gym
Relationships: Dr Spencer Reid/Dr Piper Bishop, Spencer Reid/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Dr Piper Bishop [75]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1972852
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SSA_SarahSunshine](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SSA_SarahSunshine/gifts).



> I couldn't have finished this fic without the brilliant help of @SSA_SarahSunshine and I hope you all read her work too. She's been an amazing inspiration and an incredible writer.

“I don’t like this,” Spencer said, watching Piper wrap her fists in a cotton bandage. “Derek’s more than capable of doing this himself.” 

“I know that. But he doesn’t pick up micro-expressions as well as I do,” Piper said calmly. “They already know Hotch and Emily and I don’t think Rossi’s an  _ ideal _ candidate.”

“Okay, but what about your shoulder?” Spencer countered.

“Spence, it’s been about 4 years. It’s healed.” Spencer crossed his arms, studying Piper’s face.

“JJ could do it?” Spencer proposed.

“She’s got a kid to worry about,” Piper said quickly. “Look, I can handle myself and Derek’ll be there the whole time. Who knows? Maybe I won’t even have to get into the ring,” Piper said cheerfully, zipping up the leather jacket over her loose tank top. It was disconcerting how well she fit into the clothes. “I’m there to have his back, remember?”

“You ready, sweet pea?” Derek’s smug, cheerful voice floated on over as he sauntered into their hotel room.

“On second thoughts, maybe I won’t,” Piper grumbled. “You really have to call me that?”

“Trust me, sweet pea, they’re not gonna believe we’re siblings,” Derek said, chuckling. “Here.” He tossed her a packet of chewing gum.

“You couldn’t find mint?” Piper hated strawberry gum. “Or bubblegum?” Derek shrugged, making Piper sigh deeply. “Fine, let’s go.” Derek shared a look with Spencer, the subtlest of nods to his unasked question. “Stop it,” Piper chastised them. “I’ve had my fair share of bar fights.”

“Yeah, with drunk idiots,” Derek noted.

“Actually, the disinhibition hypothesis suggests that alcohol encourages aggression and violence, replacing precision with power,” Piper retorted, grabbing a duffel bag. “One hit from a ‘drunken idiot’ can lead to concussions so serious they kill people. But while those idiots get drunk on alcohol, boxers get drunk on testosterone. You know what that means?”

“They get reckless, they make mistakes, we kick their ass,” Derek recited. “I get it. Let’s go! We’ll go over the profile in the car.” Piper barked a laugh.

“I don’t think so. Hotch arranged something,” she said, a knowing grin gracing her lips as she held up the keys.

“Huh, Strauss said yes to that?”

“After your heart-to-heart about her alcoholism, I’m not surprised,” Piper said, grinning. “I’ll meet you downstairs.” Derek slapped the wall in goodbye before leaving as Piper pocketed the keys and looped the strap of her duffle over her head. Spencer’s brow was still furrowed.

“I still don’t like this,” Spencer murmured. “What if things go wrong?” Piper sighed softly. 

“Then they go wrong,” Piper said. “I can’t tell you everything’s gonna be fine, cause it might not. But I have to try.” Spencer nodded, pulling her into a warm hug and kissing the top of her hair.

“Just be careful,” he told her. Piper only poked out her pinkie to him in response, and with a soft snort, Spencer twisted his own around it.

“I promise,” Piper said before pressing a soft kiss to his lips. “And Garcia’s keeping an eye on us, remember?”

“Yeah, so I get to watch someone beat you up,” Spencer scoffed.

“I am loving the confidence from you right now,” Piper said, her tone derisive. “You get to watch your girlfriend kick someone’s ass.” She released his pinkie to grab her helmet. “Have some faith.” Spencer stood, alone in his hotel room, as his partner left for an MMA gym, hoping to join an illegal fight club that held a serial killer, while all he could do was run a hand through his hair.


	2. Chapter 2

It was all Piper could do to not grimace as Derek placed a kiss on her cheek and left to sign them up. At least the music was decent, with an electric guitar riff blaring from the speakers. 

Eventually, he returned, tossing a key to Piper for a locker. He couldn’t help notice that she was sighing a lot lately. Although, what she was so psychologically exhausted from was a mystery. She dumped her bag into the locker with her helmet and jacket, pulling out a bottle of iced water and popped the gum in her mouth as she joined Derek in front of Tony Cole’s ring. 

“What can I do for you two?” And just like rehearsed, a backstory came spilling out. They were a couple relocating from North Dakota. Couple’s counselling clearly wasn’t working. They wanted to let off some steam. And as expected, Tony paired them off with lesser-known fight club members. 

According to Penelope’s hacking skills (emphasis on a Z, apparently) each of their victims had come from the same fight club with different trainers throughout Philadelphia and their unsub, based on Spencer’s geographic profile and statistical probability, came from this club. Piper had gone through employee backgrounds, identifying Tony as the most likely to be apart of the illegal activity. A former star boxer met with an accident came with emotional baggage, only lightened by this kind of venture. 

Piper watched Tony’s body language as Derek threw punches. A hand raised to his chin. Brows slightly furrowed and pupils dilated. His feet pointed straight at Derek instead of his own fighter. Either the man was gay, or he thought Derek showed promise.

“Alright. Dani, sweetheart, your turn.” Piper snorted, rising from her lean and she stopped chewing to address Tony.

“Don’t call me sweetheart.” 

Tony beamed, liking the spitfire attitude. Although, Emily would notice that Piper held the same attitude to the assholes she ended up punching in a bar. She also noticed that Spencer’s fists grasped the table so hard his knuckles turned white. Emily didn’t say anything though, knowing Piper would prove just how capable she is in a fistfight within a matter of minutes. As did Aaron. Rossi, on the other hand, did not seem as confident, not after what he’d seen Piper go through at the hands of Irene Simmons. 

Piper’s hair was tucked up tightly into a bun and she curled up her fists. Her opponent was Frank, a tough, muscular build. But Piper watched him bounce on the balls of his feet as they circled each other. He was leaning back on the left leg just slightly and his left fist curled up right near his mouth. He was wearing a mouthguard and he was squinting slightly. She saw the right hook coming, ducking underneath the blow fluidly before focusing all her balance on her right leg and whirling around with a roundhouse kick to his jaw and sweeping his right leg off the ground. Frank was on the ground in seconds, struggling to get up. Derek couldn’t hold back a wince as Piper toppled him. “Just yield, dude,” Piper advised him. “Or are you too ashamed to get beaten by a girl?”

In the van outside, Emily couldn’t hold back a laugh. “And you were worried about her.”

“I--Derek should be terrified of her,” Spencer managed, choking on his sub sandwich. “That guy was twice her size.”

“She doesn’t have much of a choice. Our guy’s probably a middleweight boxer like Tony. Piper’s only a strawweight. Hopefully, this fight club is free for all.”

“Wh--What’s that supposed to mean?” Spencer said, worry creeping into his voice. “I thought she was meant to have Derek’s back.”

“2 members are dead, Spencer, remember? They need replacements. And Tony needs someone to bet on.” Spencer looked uncomfortable, staring at his sandwich instead of the surveillance cameras

“I still don’t like this,” he murmured.

“You might like this,” Emily said, giggling as Piper held Frank in a chokehold to the ground, yelling at him to tap out. Eventually, the man tapped on her thigh with two fingers and Tony called it. Spencer’s eyes widened as Piper got up from the mat, completely unharmed. Frank hadn’t gotten a single hit on her, and somehow, Emily wasn’t very surprised about it. The rest of the session was smooth, with Tony testing their punching and kicking strength. They certainly weren’t amateurs. Spencer’s breath hitched as Tony closed a fist around Piper’s wrist pulling her close.

“What’s the real story with you and your partner?” Tony remarked, inches away from Piper’s cold gaze. Piper pulled his arm towards her, taking her free hand to shove him away from her and onto the ring rope, pressing down hard as she pulled his hand behind his back. “Ow!”

“It’s like we said,” Piper offered calmly. “We’ve got some issues to work out.” She released him, grasping a fistful of his collar and shoving him away from her. “And unless we’re fighting, don’t touch me. You might live to regret it,” she threatened before ducking under the rope and jumping to the ground. Derek met her, hanging an arm around her as she drank from her bottle.

“Nice work with Frank.”

“Can’t say the same,” Piper retorted with a grin. 

“Wow, that’s mean,” Derek feigned, clasping a hand to his heart. “Just cause I wasn’t as flashy as you?” Piper shoved him playfully as they walked over to the lockers.

“I’m just saying, get a little creative with your moves and stop pulling your punches,” Piper remarked, swinging the locker open to grab her duffle, helmet and jacket.

“What’s your read on Tony?”

“He’s impressed but suspicious. He thinks we’re too good to be amateurs.”

“Good thing we’ve got a goddess on our side.” Piper glanced at the surveillance camera surreptitiously, snorting softly.

“Those backstops better do the trick,” Piper murmured, pressing a cold kiss to Derek’s cheek and leaving for the showers. Derek watched Piper leave without a single scratch on her, although he was pretty sure that roundhouse kick had stiffened a joint based on the almost imperceptible limp she walked with. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he turned back to his locker, catching Tony saunter in, rubbing his hands slightly.

“Hey, Tony!” he called out, a steady grin on his face as he held out a hand cheerfully. “What’s up, man?” Tony barely responded, his feet pointed straight towards the women’s showers as he reciprocated the handshake.

“I’m good, can’t say the same for Frank though. Your lady did quite the number on him.” Piper was right. He should’ve been a little flashier. Derek chuckled easily, a little disappointed and not at all looking forward to the look on Spencer’s face by what he was about to say.

“Yeah, she got propositioned to help train people at her kickboxing class too, but she wasn’t interested in teaching people,” he lied. “She just wants to beat the crap out of guys twice her size." He chuckled again, remembering a false memory. “She has to keep switching gyms though. Her last trainer, she broke two of his ribs, his nose and he had a concussion.” Derek shook his head. “Partly why we moved to Philly. Thought a change of scenery might come with some laxer rules.” Tony nodded grudgingly. Derek sensed the conversation was over, but Tony’s pursed lips and narrowed eyes gave him the impression of a man considering risks and benefits, often the face Spencer made at a game of poker. “So, same time next week?” Derek prompted him.

“Hmm?” Tony glanced over at him. “Yeah, sure thing.” Derek took it as his cue to leave, glancing at the cameras as he left to hit the showers. Derek walked past a returning Piper, her hair still damp from the shower and draping in thick strands around one side of her face. Her Iron Maiden loose tank top clung to her body and she was fixing the strap of her dark brown, braided belt through the loop of her black faded jeans. Derek, slightly horrified by what he was about to do, snaked an arm around her waist and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Piper leaned back immediately, not before Derek had made contact.

“What are you doing?” Piper hissed.

“Being a couple,” Derek hissed back.

“We’re not a real couple,” Piper retorted with a fake smile. 

“Tony’s watching,” Derek whispered.

“Yeah, I know that, numbskull. Couples don’t constantly kiss--forget it,” Piper sighed, for possibly the hundredth time that day. “Babe, we talked about this,” Piper said, loud enough for Tony to hear. “Not in public.” Piper squeezed Derek’s shoulder before moving to her locker.

“Everything okay with you two?” Tony asked, leaning casually against the locker next to hers.

“Don’t see how that’s any of your business,” Piper said, not deigning to return his leer, focusing on clearing out the locker.

“Just, you said you needed couples counselling and--”

“You’re my trainer,” Piper interrupted. “Not my therapist. Either tell me something of value, or shove the hell off.” Tony swallowed hard.

“You did great out there,” Tony said quickly. “My guy, Frank, he’s going to be sore for a while now."

"Uh-huh," she said, gesturing her arm out, expecting something more substantial. 

"Your boyfriend mentioned you were looking for something where the rules were... lax?" Tony started, a little crack in his voice as he spoke to her.

She peered up at him. "Maybe? What's it to you?"

"I might know of a place like that,” Tony said, his eyes fidgeting. “You can break as many noses, or ribs, as you want."

She arches an eyebrow, "And you didn't tell my boyfriend about this, because I'm assuming the invite is for me only?"

"Yeah. You'd do great in there," Tony said with a smile. Piper swiped at her lips with her tongue, glancing down at the floor quickly before looking back up, a broad smile gracing her face.

“And the pay?” Piper asked, making Tony falter. Piper snorted. “Come on, what do you take me for? Your guy’s out, you put me in like I’m some spare on your baseball team. I want 50% of any bets you profit from.”

“40,” Tony said.

“60, or I snap your arm on the locker room floor so hard you’re gonna cry for your grandmother,” Piper snarled, stepping forward.

“Deal, deal. You got it.” And her aggression eased. 

“Pleasure doing business with you,” Piper smirked, shouldering her bag. “When am I expected?”

“You’re filling in for Frank tonight. Be ready.”

“I’m always ready,” Piper smirked.


	3. Chapter 3

“You’re always ready?” Spencer yelled. “No-one is ready for this!” Piper was holding her head in her hands.

“It was always a possibility,” Aaron said quietly. Spencer blinked twice.

“She was meant to be Derek’s back-up,” Spencer said, his voice going deathly quiet. "You were supposed to be Derek's back up!” He repeated, jabbing his finger with the two last words, his voice rising. “Not the one going in!"

“What did you think I meant when I said backup?” Piper said, tiredly. “It was 50/50 he would pick Derek. I went in for surety so at least one of us would make it in." Spencer’s glance flitted to each person in the room. Takeout boxes littered the table in the middle and Piper played with her food, not that hungry anymore. None of the profilers, his friends, hell, his family, could damn well meet his eyes.

“You all knew,” he said quietly, three words filling up the silence.

“We weren’t exactly lying,” Emily admitted.

“There is a killer in that fight club with the strength to club someone to death!” Spencer cried in outrage. “And you’re gonna send her in there?” Everyone was quiet. The potential of Piper dying wasn’t appetising to anyone, to say the least. 

“Yes,” Piper said, firmly. “Because that’s the job. I go in. I use what I know to find that guy. We get an ID on him, and he goes away.”

“Or he kills you in the process!” Spencer shouted, making Piper throw up her hands in surrender. “You were supposed to protect her,” Spencer berated, his gaze shifting to Derek who looked around for help.

“Kid, clearly she didn’t need protecting. She wiped out Frank with a roundhouse kick. I mean, hats off.” Piper couldn’t help a smile at the compliment. 

"As long as we get in and figure out who the unsub is, that's what matters--" Aaron tried next but Spencer was going ballistic. It was going to be impossible to rein his emotions in. JJ was completely silent, not needing Spencer angry at her again.

“Not if my girlfriend gets beaten to death first!” Spencer roared, making Aaron physically take a step back. Rossi was shaking his head in frustration, stuck between Reid and Hotch’s points of view. He looked to Piper whose face was set in resolve, tired of the fighting.

“Damn it, Spencer, we’re doing this whether your feelings get hurt or not!” Her nostrils flared slightly as she stared him down. “The fight starts at 11pm. It’s against Richard Croyden. I need his background, medical records, everything. We’ve got 6 hours to prep and I suggest we get down to it because  _ no-one _ is pulling any punches.” Finishing her spiel, Piper abandoned her lunch and grabbed her bag, heading for her hotel room upstairs. He barely listened as Hotch gave out the orders and Derek moved to his room to get some rest. Spencer followed, ignoring JJ and Emily calling out for him to stop, to stop pushing Piper any further, but he had already turned the corner into the elevator.

Piper’s eyes were closed, replaying the day. Why was it so easy for her to turn the violence on? She hadn’t even thought about the kick, the kind of damage that could do to Frank’s jaw. She could have blown the man’s knee out.  _ Stop it! _ Thinking that way was dangerous. Spencer was right, to a degree. She had to shut off her emotions.  _ And a nap. A nap would be nice, _ Piper thought, glancing at the plush bed. With a tired groan, Piper pulled off the leather jacket, hanging it on the chair. She had to rummage through her clothes for the right outfit. Maybe Penelope knew what to wear to your first fight. Her hands slowed as she heard footsteps from the hallway. Her hand wrapped around the butt of her gun, her index finger comfortably resting on the trigger. She pulled the safety release, whipping around with steel in her eyes and the barrel of a gun pointed straight at Spencer. “Little warning next time,” Piper advised, activating the safety again before plopping it on top of her duffel bag. Spencer scoffed and Piper told herself to calm down, barely managing to put a pin in her anger.

“You know, you could’ve told me the whole plan.” Piper’s shoulders sagged.

“Don’t pin this on me,” Piper pleaded, pressing her palms to the coffee table. “It was our decision.”

“You don’t think it’s a little disconcerting that I’m being kept in the dark, again? Because you do remember what happened the last time you lied to me?”

“Yes,” Piper hissed. “I do remember. My entire team died. It’s a little hard to forget,” she snapped. “We didn’t tell you because you would freak out, exactly like what you’re doing now.”

“Can you blame me?” Spencer retorted. “You’re a behavioural analyst. An academic. And you’re going into a fight club with a serial killer.”

“Yeah, and it’s fairly likely that I’m not gonna fight the serial killer. I just need one fight under my belt and then I’m in. I get access to the list, we start crossing names off and we’re good to go.”

“Except one fight turns to two and then three and then things go wrong--”

“I’m not some kid who’s asking for a cookie. It’s one fight with some Richard Croyden. We get his background, I use a profile against him. And where do you get off on yelling at Hotch?”

"Because he shouldn't be playing God and sending you to your death!" Spencer bellowed, his usual passive-aggression flying out the window.

“It was my choice,” Piper said slowly. “Derek was uncomfortable going in alone, I offered to be his second.”

“I’m sorry, you chose to do this?” Spencer asked, taking a half-step back. Piper snorted, confused at why he was surprised at it.

“Yeah, because it’s our job, and lives are at stake. Derek saw the guys that train here, he was a little nervous, Spence. It’s nothing we haven’t done before,” Piper said with an incredulous huff of air puffing from her lips. “And clearly I can handle myself.” Spencer sighed, as though Piper was missing the point.

“Why can’t you just step away from this for a minute?”

“Because I’m  _ in _ . If I back out now, Tony gets suspicious, our unsub gets spooked and he disappears. I don't understand why you're so upset about this.”

“Right, because the job comes first,” Spencer said bitterly.

“That’s what we agreed, Spence,” Piper said, helplessly. “It’s what I promised Hotch when we started dating. That the job will always be our priority.” Spencer ran a hand through his brown tousled hair. The gesture she always made when she was stressed out.

“Well, clearly, the job comes before anything else, right, comes before me and how I feel about you throwing yourself into dangerous situations?" Piper let her hands fall to her side.

“This is a dangerous job,” Piper countered weakly.

"We don't willingly walk into a room with a serial killer, no backup, no vest, and put ourselves into a position to fight them without a weapon!"

“We don’t know Croyden’s the killer and he’s never hurt anyone in the ring, always outside it with a weapon. That means he’s weak. Our best weapon is a thorough and--”

“Don’t quote Gideon at me!” he said fiercely. “Gideon destroyed his future for this job.”

“What are you saying?” Piper asked helplessly. She was tired of fighting. Her chokehold on Frank had sapped her strength and she hadn’t eaten either. She rubbed her face. “Look, Garcia’s gonna take less than ten minutes to get us a background and medical records. I need to keep my strength up for this match and I can’t--”

“You don't get it, do you?” Spencer yelled helplessly. “Goddammit Piper, can you just listen to me for once?” Piper sank into a seat, exhausted and shocked by Spencer yelling at her. “The job comes first, before me, before your friends, your family- before your future?"

“My future?” Piper asked, her brow furrowed. “Spencer, I don’t--”

“Fuck Piper!” he yelled. “Is it so hard to understand that I want you alive long enough to marry you? To have kids?” Piper’s lips parted slowly in surprise, her forehead unwrinkled.

“Yeah,” she confessed, almost teary now. "Yeah, Spence. Yeah, it's hard to believe anyone would, especially you. After what I just did, knocking Frank out, no kid deserves me as a mother. No man deserves me as a wife." Piper rested her forehead on her palm, leaning on her elbow as her eyes closed involuntarily. 

"Jesus Christ,” he breathed out. “That's not fair to say, Pipes. That's not fair to you or to me. You can't really believe that, can you? Is that what you tell yourself to feel better about all of this?"

“It’s the truth, Spencer,” Piper retorted, looking up at Spencer’s heartbroken expression. “The longer I do this job, the less human I become.”

"That's exactly what this is,” Spencer countered. “You can't stand thinking of a happy future so you do whatever you can to ruin it before it can even form. You’re running away from any possibility of happiness."

“That’s not true--” Piper protested but he was on a roll, unable to stop himself even if he wanted to.

"Every single time I think we're getting somewhere, you take two steps back,” he said, his voice finally resuming a normal volume. “I can't keep watching you destroy yourself like this."

“Then maybe you should be with someone who can give you what you want,” Piper said quietly, tears starting to fall. She swore one dropped to the floor before Spencer would usually be able to catch it. 

_ Careful, _ he had said once.  _ Those things are precious. _ But now he just stood there, silently.

“You should probably go,” Piper advised him, not bothering to wipe at her eyes. Spencer’s expression cooled to steel. 

“You’re right. I’m done,” he said quickly, grabbing the straps of his duffel bag. “Good luck with your match.” She watched him head towards the door, not about to stop him.

“Where are you going?” Piper asked softly, her voice close to breaking.

“Somewhere I won’t have to see you get hurt,” Spencer answered before slamming the door behind him. Piper flinched at the violent action, before starting to sob into her hands. At some point, exhausted from the fighting and the crying, Piper had managed to curl up on the bed, soft rock lulling her into sleep, mumbling whatever lyrics she knew. But even in her lucid, sleepy state, Piper’s body rolled over to her left side, her right arm moving to its usual position; curled up on Spencer’s body. But it only fell on an empty bedsheet. One eye cracked open and the memories came flooding back.

_ It may have escaped your attention, _ she had murmured once in response to Spencer staring at her asleep.  _ But watching someone sleep is considered creepy. _

_ You know, I kinda like waking up next to you _ , he had told her once when she’d woken up earlier than him for a case.  _ While you're still sleeping. _

Piper felt the pillow dampen underneath her, probably from her own tears. She rubbed her eyes slowly, stretching out her limbs as she rose up. A rap on the door shook her to her senses and Piper flung herself off the bed, practically ripping the door open, deflating as JJ stood outside the door. Piper stepped aside, letting her in. “I may not have a PhD in psychology but you do not look happy to see me,” JJ joked. “Rossi said you haven’t eaten anything and I thought you might like some food.”

“Sorry, it’s--it’s not that,” Piper said with a grateful smile as she accepted the pizza box. “I was just expecting someone else.”

“Wait, Spencer still hasn’t talked to you?” JJ asked worriedly.

“No, he-he did, it didn’t...work out,” she said, stumbling on her words. “Is that what we’ve got on Croyden?”

“You’re changing the subject,” JJ admonished her.

“Because I’ve got a fight against a guy I don’t know in less than 3 hours. What do you have?”

“Croyden’s got a divorce in the works, a four-year-old daughter. Hotch skimmed through the legal statements and he thinks custody is going to go to the wife.”

“Is he the good dad type?” Piper asked, shoving a large slice of pizza in her mouth.

“Daughter’s got leukemia,” JJ answered.

“Okay, so I taunt his masculinity, raise his testosterone, get him angry,” Piper murmured. “What about medical charts?” JJ skimmed through the paper file quickly.

“He had an accident about 2 years ago at work, had some serious PT done with a trainer….named Tony Cole. Piper, this might be our guy.” Piper sighed. Spencer was right after all. She rubbed her face wearily.

“I don’t understand. Why would Tony set me up in a fight with him?”

“Well, you’re filling in for Frank, right?” Piper nodded at JJ slowly. “He probably had money on Frank beating Croyden.” Piper snorted lightly.

“His own trainer doesn’t believe in him, that’s perfect.” JJ narrowed her eyes at Piper who was still eating.

“Pipes, is everything okay, with you and Spencer?” Her hand fell to her lap, half a slice still in her hands.

“I don’t think so,” she admitted quietly. “Um, he wants a future with me and…” Piper trailed off, sighing. “We went house hunting a couple days ago and now he’s talking about marriage and kids and I...I don’t know if I can give it to him.” JJ placed a hand on her thigh softly, looking into her shattered expression.

“Piper, you can’t let this get into your head.”

“It’ll screw up my chances, I know,” Piper said quickly. “But I...I told him to be with someone who can give him that. He said he was done and he left.” JJ was speechless. She should have said something downstairs, taken the blame for Piper or…. Spencer had never been this angry at someone, especially Piper. It had made sense for him to be angry though. He was scared. But to end their relationship over the job was ridiculous.

“Look, I’ll talk to Derek, we’ll knock some sense into him. Right now, you need to focus on this match.” Piper nodded firmly, running a hand through her hair.

“What else do we have?”


	4. Chapter 4

Piper’s match was in under 2 hours. She was supposed to meet up with Tony in an hour. Their profile was solid, and Croyden looked pretty good as their unsub with some serious trauma under his belt to use for anger and a connection with Tony Cole too. Penelope had found a juvenile record against him too. Piper couldn’t be wired and any cameras on her clothes would be fruitless. They wouldn’t have eyes on her either and anyone who called Spencer an idiot for being scared was a fool. This was dangerous but Penelope had solved two of their problems. A parabolic arc would be set up in the guise of a tech van and SWAT teams were positioned surrounding the abandoned building. The other was a one-way transmitter through an earbud. Emily was positioned perfectly in the opposite building with a scope rifle aimed at the second-highest level of the building. She caught a glance of Piper rolling up on her bike, completely transformed from the shattered young woman JJ found in her hotel room. 

Piper adjusted the thin gloves that pulled up to half her forearm. Her leather jacket draped over her shoulders, a faded Rolling Stones tank top underneath. Her hair was in a short, tight ponytail, just tickling the base of her neck. Her usual doe-eyes were covered by black sunglasses, strands of hair framing her face. Under her breath, mostly to give her strength, she recited a poem. “To fight aloud, is very brave-” she said slowly, tasting each word on her tongue. “But gallanter, I know. Who charge within the bosom. The Cavalry of Wo-” JJ was listening through the arc in the van on a pair of headphones, unsurprised by Piper’s chosen way of prayer. “Who win, and nations do not see. Who fall and none observe. Whose dying eyes, no Country. Regards with patriot love. We trust, in plumed procession For such, the Angels go - Rank after Rank, with even feet - And Uniforms of snow.”

“On your six,” Emily murmured into her radio, noticing Tony approach.

_ “You ready for this?” _

_ “I’m always ready,”  _ Piper answered with a smirk, and with her heart in her throat, she followed him into the building. The rest of the team waited patiently in the van, clinging to each word, waiting for a signal. At least, everyone except Spencer. No-one knew where he’d disappeared off to after the fight. JJ had searched everywhere, only finding his bags in Derek’s room. So was his phone. Aaron suggested Derek leave a sticky note and leave the genius alone. 

They didn’t have lockers and there were dozens of burly men surrounding an unmarked circle.  _ “That’s got to be a hundred people,” _ Piper remarked to Tony.

_ “Not used to an audience?” _ Tony asked while Aaron repeated the info to the SWAT teams.  _ “We’ve got trainers and fighters from all over Philly.” _

_ “North Dakota’s pretty tame. So, who’s my fighter?” _

_ “That’s Rambo.” _

_ “Huh, I swear you told me his name was Croyden, _ ” Piper pointed out.

_ “It is. But he goes by Rambo around here.” _ JJ couldn’t hold back a smile at Piper’s thoroughness. Asking too many questions was risky, but vague confusion couldn’t be termed as suspicious. Croyden wasn’t too bulky, which meant he’d be faster than Frank. Piper didn’t take her eyes off of him as other fights continued. His eyes were fidgety, glancing around the room constantly.  _ Paranoid. He doesn’t trust the others. _ His fist closed and opened constantly as the current fighters traded blows.  _ Gambler. Probably the reason behind his divorce. _ He was still wearing his wedding band.  _ Doesn’t want to let go of his marriage. Unable to come to terms with loss. _ His feet were bouncy, unable to sit still, constantly shifting.  _ Definitely impatient. Dominant right. Borderline ambidextrous. _ Piper shifted her hands to her back pocket, letting them rest there as she let her overconfident personality take over her body language, even as Dani’s name was called. She forced her way to the front, practically shoving people as she flexed her fingers. Croyden made his way forward to the circle, watching her critically as she shed her jacket and sunglasses. Closing them up into fists, she rested on the balls of her feet, perfectly balancing her weight.

_ “Let’s get this over with,” _ Piper spat. Croyden swung his right hook at her but Piper stepped aside, expecting the blow and grabbed his wrist, swinging him down to the floor.  _ “Come on!” _ she cried out, begging for a challenge. He staggered to his feet, fists up to guard his face. He swung a left hand to her face, only for her to grab it and force his shoulder down. He yelled out in pain so hard that David flinched in the van. Croyden punched up into Piper’s arm to free himself, unable to roll his shoulder without serious pain. Instead, he tackled her to the ground and Piper let a painful groan escape her lips. On the ground, Croyden punched her in the eye before landing an uppercut to her jaw. Piper pulled her knees to her chest before kicking out with her leather combat boots, landing on his upper torso and kicking him off her. Exhaling, Piper rolled over, barely missing the stomp of his shoe that slammed into the ground. Rising to her feet, she jumped onto his back, slamming her elbow into his head over and over as her thighs gripped his waist until he slammed her back against one of the concrete structures holding up the ceiling. Crying out in pain, Piper’s grip on Croyden loosened and he turned around to grab her head, slamming it into the concrete. With a desperate shove, she pushed him off of her. Her head was ringing as she stumbled forward.

“Hotch, do we send them in?” Emily asked, panicking at the sight of Piper on the floor.

“Negative. We wait for the signal.”

“Copy,” she said reluctantly. 

With one more punch, Croyden felled her to the ground, watching her struggle to get up. He kicked her in the stomach for good measure before yelling in triumph.

“Hotch,” Derek pleaded.

“We wait for the signal,” he affirmed. “Prentiss, do we have a sign of life?” Silence followed on the radio. “Bishop!” Hotch cried out on the radio, waking Piper up. She groaned softly.

“Still here,” she whispered and however faint, the radar picked it up. Her eyes fluttered, darkness looming over her until she heard a faint voice.

_ “Piper. My sweet, beautiful, baby. Piper, wake up.” _ Her voice was familiar, like a lullaby, soft and warm.  _ “Remember my stories, my darling,” _ Audrey whispered.  _ “Achilles did not give up when Patroclus died. Penelope did not give up on her Odysseus. Menelaus did not give up on Helen and you cannot give up, my darling. The blood of warriors flows in your veins, my champion.” _ Her mother always was one for dramatic, poetic speeches. Her ribs were definitely bruised. Her eye was starting to swell. But she was tired of losing. She used her elbows to prop herself up and stagger to her feet. Her hands closed up in fists as she finally spoke up.

“It’s tap out or knock out, asshole,” Piper said, her voice slightly hoarse. “Come and get me.” Croyden turned around, steel in his eyes. With a roar, he started running towards her, ready to slam her back into the concrete and Piper stood there, a steady smirk on her split, bleeding lips, waiting until the last minute before stepping aside from the wall and landing a kick to his ass, pushing him to slam his head into the wall. She grabbed a fistful of his shirt, dragging him back before landing a right hook to his jaw, an upper-cut with her left and gripping the sides of his head, she brought his head crashing into her knee. He stumbled backwards, slight fear in his eyes as Piper stalked forwards. “Fight me, you coward.”

_ “That’s the signal!” Hotch cried from inside the van, sending in the SWAT teams immediately. _

Croyden lunged forward with his left hand and Piper grabbed it with one hand, swinging it around him. __

_ Emily watched one team grab the zipline from her left side, in position, waiting for the smoke to take effect, before taking the steps down as fast as she could. _

She kicked out behind his knee, forcing him to the ground as smoke billowed out into the empty parking lot. SWAT had everyone on their knees in a matter of minutes, including Piper, and the local PD swarmed in, arresting everyone. Tony muttered an apology to Piper, but with steel in her eyes, she lunged at him, only to be held back by an officer. It was simple enough to exclude her from the others, what with Piper being the only woman in the group and she was shoved into a car for appearances before her handcuffs were unlocked. Emily pressed her into a crushing hug, releasing in panic when she cried out softly in pain. “I’m sorry.”

“You’re okay,” Piper rasped, accepting a one armed hug from Derek.

“You did good, kid,” David sighed. “But please don’t do it again.” Piper chuckled softly.

“Yeah, not again,” Piper said with a slight snort.

“There’s a medic waiting at the hotel, they’ll check you out,” Aaron updated from the driver’s seat.

“Great,” Piper murmured, her eyes closing tiredly, leaning involuntarily on Rossi’s shoulder. His eyes widened a little, glancing at Derek in front of him but he only had a snicker to share. Carefully, David wound his arm around Piper’s bruised torso, freezing when she winced slightly before nuzzling closer. But she slept soundly, basking in David’s warmth, knowing she was finally safe. He pressed a kiss to her hair, murmuring Italian endearments to her. Emily and JJ both slapped a snickering Derek playfully, only growing serious when Piper had to limp down to the street and through to the hotel lobby, led by the medic into another room. She whimpered as the medic sat her down. “Piper, my name’s Maddie, I’m gonna look you over okay?” Piper croaked out a yes and Maddie glared at the rest of her unit until Hotch ushered them out. She had Piper strip off her tank top before pressing a gloved hand to her purplish torso. Piper hissed softly. “Did that hurt?” Maddie looked up, revealing dark eyes that matched her tumbling cornrows. Her skin was the colour of glowing bronze and her hands were gentle.

“No,” Piper groaned. “Your uh, your glove’s kind of cold.”

“Does it hurt to talk?”

“Not really,” she said slowly as Maddie pressed her fingers into her skin.

“Good news is he didn’t get your ribs. He do anything else?” Piper nodded, swallowing slowly.

“He uh, he slammed my head into a concrete wall,” Piper said, her voice drowsy.

“Right, well, you might have a concussion, in which case I need you to keep talking to me,” Maddie said, returning to her med kit. “Can you tell me your name?”

“Dr Piper Bishop,” she answered.

“So, you’re a doctor too?”

“Not that kind. I’ve got 4 PhDs. Different branches of psychology,” Piper clarified.

“And what year is it?”

“27 October 2011.”

“Good. Well, you’ve got a minor concussion,” Maddie concluded. “You might have a headache when you wake up tomorrow so I’d keep some Advil or Tylenol on your person. No broken ribs and you’ll be okay flying. But I’m advising you and your boss to take the rest of the week off.”

“Gladly,” Piper sighed. “Pleasure meeting you, Maddie.” The medic smiled, grabbing her med kit.

“You too Piper. Hopefully, we won’t meet again.”

“You never know,” Piper smirked, reaching for her top.

“You’re certainly an optimist,” Maddie scoffed, but her brow furrowed as she heard the door open. Piper sighed heavily and the medic turned around, revealing a worried, tall, lanky mess of a doctor, his amber eyes scanning Piper’s torso. And in a flash, the bruising disappeared under the shirt and Derek ran in, pushing past Spencer over to her side.

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah, according to Maddie, I’m in tip top condition,” Piper said, grinning.

“I did not say that,” Maddie protested. “You’re gonna need a cold compress on that eye of yours so it doesn’t turn purple.”

“Trust Piper to downplay everything,” JJ scoffed, joining Piper on the bed.

“You look like a mess,” Emily blurted out before noticing Maddie. “Hi, Emily Prentiss.”

“Dr Maddie Henderson,” she replied genially, before looking Emily up and down. 

“Uh, if you have any updates on Piper’s condition,” Emily remarked, pulling out her card. “Call me.” Piper snickered softly under her breath. Aaron and David moved into the room as well, surrounding Piper in a circle that excluded Spencer who was still frozen by the door, his angry features cooling down.

“We’re wheels up in 20,” Aaron said as the medic slipped away smiling slowly. Spencer followed her out.

“Dr Henderson!” Maddie wheeled around.

“Yes sir?”

“Piper, she’s gonna be okay?”

“Well, I’m sure you saw what happened, but--”

“I didn’t,” he admitted quietly. “I didn’t want-- I didn’t want to see her get hurt.” Maddie’s brow furrowed.

“Well, that comes with the territory of being a federal agent, doesn’t it?”

“It’s--It’s different when it comes to her,” he explained, only confusing Maddie more.

“Look, I’m not here to sort out your problems,” Maddie started. “Piper’s got some abdominal contusions and a mild concussion. A hot shower and a cold compress should do the trick. I’ve got work to do. Goodbye.” By the time he returned to the makeshift med bay, Piper was gone and Aaron and JJ were cleaning up with Rossi overseeing it. He thought his voice would break but he asked anyway.

“Where’s Piper?” David turned to him with a steely gaze.

“Somewhere you won’t see her hurt,” he snapped.

“Dave,” Aaron chastised, as though he was a puppy baring his teeth. “Everyone’s packing up, she’s probably in her room.”

“Hotch,” JJ hissed but Spencer had already left, running up the staircase to Piper’s room, easily identified by the sound of The Black Keys bleeding from the gap under her door. He rapped the door quickly.

“Piper! I just want to talk!” Surprisingly, the door cracked open and Emily slinked out, closing the door behind her. She was wearing a red turtleneck, her hair draping over her shoulders, her arms crossed over her chest.

“What do you want?” 

"I need to talk to Pip-" 

"No. Get out. She's taking a shower. Get your stuff and get on the plane." 

"Emily, please-" 

"I said no, Reid," Emily said with finality and fire in my eyes. She swiped her key in and slipped back into the door, closing the door on Spencer. He stood there, completely closed off from his girlfriend. He stumbled onto his back foot, staring at the number 26 on the door. He rose a hand to his neck, rubbing at it as he moved without any real motivation to grab his bags from Derek’s room across the hall. Derek was stuffing things into his bags haphazardly. His suitcase was open on the floor, half full. He was focusing on packing his duffel, throwing shirts and jeans in with more force than necessary. Spencer was at a loss for words. Everyone was snappy at him when they should be mad at Piper for going in the first place, or Derek for not stepping up his game, or Hotch for offering her the choice at all. JJ was barely talking to him, Emily was giving him the cold shoulder, Derek was angry and frankly, he was afraid of what Rossi might do to him. 

“Derek, what the hell is going on?” Spencer asked, his brow furrowed at his derisive snort as his best friend threw a glance back at him.

“Really, Reid? Really?” His eyebrow arched slightly, his frown unfamiliar on his usually cheerful face. “Unbelievable,” he muttered, moving to the coffee table to grab his files and place them in his bag. “You’re a piece of work, man.”

“I don’t know what that’s supposed to mean, Derek. All I care about is that my girlfriend is hurt and she won--”

“You’re lucky she survived man,” Derek burst out. “What were you thinking? How could you do that to her right before her fight?”

“I was scared she would get hurt!” Spencer protested.

“So you break up with her?” Derek asked, fire in his voice.

“What?” Derek sighed, rubbing his neck.

“I’m not in the mood, Reid. We’re all tired and I just want to go home. So does she.” Derek met his eye level. “Don’t hurt her anymore.”

“I didn’t--” But Derek was done, shouldering his bags and making his way down to help with the clean up.

The jet ride was silent. Derek and Rossi sat in front of Emily and Piper. Piper was nestled on Emily’s shoulder, her finger holding the page of her book. She must have fallen asleep reading. JJ offered everyone cups of coffee while Emily, Derek and Dave were in the midst of a serious game of poker, wagering peanuts, walnuts and skittles. Emily was determined to win all of Derek’s skittles, even if it meant losing her walnuts. She hated them anyway. Piper winced as she tried to stretch, forgetting her bruised ribs. Spencer almost lunged to hold her but David glared him back into his seat. And just like that, she slipped out of his fingers, rejecting Derek’s offer to drop her home kindly. Anderson, who had quickly turned into Piper’s foulweather friend, had already arranged for her bike to be brought to the tarmac at Quantico and before Spencer could say a word, she was gone, swallowed by the darkness of Virginia. 

It wasn’t as though she was wilfully ignoring him. She’d been in the shower when Emily pushed Spencer away. Asleep when he tried to talk to her in the jet. And she’d left after Anderson warned her that it might rain later. And she couldn’t just leave her bike in the parking lot at Quantico. And now he was stuck on a train headed for the closest station to her apartment. His echoic memory cursed him, forcing him to relive their fight. She’d only gone in to protect Derek, to make sure the job got done, the same thing she would’ve done if they hadn’t been dating. It had never been a question about putting him or his feelings first. It was how easily she put everything else above  _ her. _

The train lurched forward, almost toppling him until he straightened himself up in his seat. He closed his eyes. It wasn’t as though she didn’t want kids or to marry him either. She’d dreamt of their future together, and she’d seen an unspeakable tragedy happen before they even discussed having kids. She had relived the tragedy every night for weeks, watching her torturer kill her future kids over and over again, never being able to protect them.  _ How could I have been such an idiot? _ She honestly believed she’d make a terrible mother and she had the proof in her head. 

Finally, the train stopped and Spencer made a beeline for the sliding doors and right up to the dark street. Her apartment was barely a five minute walk from the station, but she liked the long drive to work when she could clear her head. He ran up the steps to the complex door, buzzing her apartment over and over again until he noticed her bike was missing. It didn’t make any sense. If she was avoiding him, why would she… His thoughts trailed off as he realised why she would be at his apartment instead of this one. Sighing, he walked down the steps, making the trip 3 and a half blocks over to his own apartment and dropping his bags to unlock the building, up the steps to his front door only to see Piper packing books into a duffel bag. “Piper, stop!” he managed, making Piper drop her copy of Hamlet. His breath hitched at the sight of her black eye and her split lip.

“Sorry,” she murmured, picking up the book. “I swear I’ll be done in a minute. The clothes are all packe, it’s just the books and…” She was trying hard not to cry. “And the pictures. Um, most of my things are at my old place anyway, so I’ll leave--”

“Stay,” he blurted out. He should have written this down. She watched him with baleful eyes as he dumped his bags by the door. “I need to apologise.”

“Why?” Piper asked, sighing. “Because I almost died because we really have to stop making decisions based on which one of us almost dies,” she scoffed, putting the copy of Hamlet into her bag.

“Because I love you,” he said, the distance of a room between them. Piper looked at her fingernails uncomfortably.

“I love you too but I don’t think that’s enough to make this work.”

“I can’t believe that,” Spencer said hopelessly. “I was scared of losing you and you just-- you wouldn’t listen to me and you shouldn’t have because you’re right. You’re doing exactly what you would’ve done if we weren’t dating.” He watched her mull his words over. Her eye was still bruised and his body couldn’t help but close the distance because  _ damn it, _ she had to know he still loved her with every last vestige of strength he had. His hand reached instinctively to cup her face, running a thumb along her cheekbone. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and I want you to be happy, and healthy, and safe. I want to marry you, Pipes. I want kids with you." She was crying now. 

“Not like this,” she whispered. “You don’t want me like this.”

“Yes, I do,” he affirmed. “You are enough, always enough for me. You could never be a less selfish or a more caring person and I love you for it and I  _ need _ you to see yourself the way I do.” She snorted slightly, her arms circling his waist. He felt her warm, fawn-coloured, knit sweater rub against his lower abdomen.

“What, a broken, bruised mess?” Spencer’s brow furrowed.

“No. A brilliant academic, a wonderful teacher, an incredible behavioural analyst and you’re mine.” Piper couldn’t help a tearful smile.

“You said you were done.”

“With the case,” he corrected her incredulously. “And I was stupid to think I could get you to pull out of it too.”

“No-one knew where you were,” she whispered. “I thought…” The thought was unspeakable.

“Never. I will probably spend my entire life loving you. And if there’s a life after that--”

“Which there isn’t,” Piper added, mirroring his smile.

“Then I will love you then too. Piper, you mean everything to me and I can’t even think of losing you.”

“I promised you I wasn’t going anywhere,” Piper whispered, closing the distance to kiss him deeply, as though she was running out of air and he was her only source of life. His cool, steel rings felt familiar pressed to his jaw as the sleeves of her loose, thick sweater dropped down her elbow as he pressed her waist to his. Her split lip was beginning to heal and he pulled away, not wanting to injure her further. “Thank you,” she sighed against him.

“I didn’t do anything.”

“You did save my deposit,” Piper blurted out before clapping a hand over her mouth. “Oh, no.” Spencer’s brow furrowed as she pulled away. “Never mind,” she rambled. “That’s probably the concussion or maybe I’m just delirious. Stacey from next door had the cold, I probably have a--” she bumped against her ivy, yelping lightly-- “a fever right.”

“Piper,” he said slowly, stepping towards her with a smile on her face and her face crumpled together miserably. “What deposit?”

“I haven’t put a cold compress to my eye, maybe you should yell at me about that,” she said quickly, trying to put together an excuse for what she said. 

“I’m done yelling. What deposit?” Piper glanced at her watch.

“Can’t you wait...3 more hours?” she pleaded.

“Nope. What deposit?” he repeated.

“3 hours, please,” she said, backing up into a wall as Spencer walked towards her calmly.

“Just tell me,” he said, flexing out his fingers. “And I’ll go easy on you.”

“I’m injured,” Piper protested. “You can’t--”

“There’s a pill bottle on the counter, you took a painkiller when you arrived which is why you didn’t wince at my touch,” Spencer analysed, closing in on her. “What deposit?”

“I signed the lease,” she blurted out before he could tickle her into submission.

“You did what?”

“The loft in Georgetown. The one that you really liked.” His brow furrowed.

“I didn’t tell you which place I liked.” Piper morphed her face into smug seriousness. 

“I’ve got multiple PhDs in psychology, Dr Reid. You can’t hide anything from me.”

“Really? Except I beat you in poker every time,” he said, inches away from her.

“Because you count cards,” she retorted, unable to think clearly as his amber eyes pinned her to the wall.

“So what was my tell?” he asked.

“Your pupils dilated, you were barely listening to the realtor and the only time you paid attention to him was when he named the deposit price and time to pay it by,” Piper rattled off. “Or the very obvious part where you imagined our life play out in that loft,” she murmured, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. “Making waffles in the mornings. A place for your mom. Maybe a kid or two.” Spencer smiled.

“And you paid the deposit already?” Piper shrugged.

“I know you. You wanted that house and there was barely any competition.”

“Yeah, because a murderer used to live there.”

“It’s better than the one with grandma living right next door,” Piper said, scrunching up her nose at the memory. “I mean she was sweet but I’m pretty sure she was high.”

“Marijuana is legal in D.C,” Spencer corrected.

“I’m not having kids in a loft next to a granny who does drugs,” Piper protested, swinging her arms around his neck. “You wanna explain that to a nosy 7 year old?”

“No, I’m good,” he said, smiling at her fondly. “What changed your mind?” Piper nodded slowly, expecting the question.

“When I was fighting Croyden, I was about to give up. I wanted to. Right there and then, I just--I had tunnel vision. All I saw was the present and how miserable it would be if I didn’t have you. I’m chalking it up to the concussion but...I heard my mom.” Piper couldn’t hold back a smile. “For context, my mom was very dramatic. But she was a theatre kid and she loved Shakespeare and history.”

“Right, it was expected,” Spencer concluded with a smile.

“She told me that Achilles only fought harder when Patroclus died. His best friend and I would argue, the love of his life.”

“The general consensus is that--”

“We’ve had this argument, Spence,” Piper said seriously. “Achilles was gay. I don’t care what the historians say.” Spencer couldn’t hold back his grin. How could he have, even mistakenly, let her go?

“What else?”

“She told me that Penelope never gave up hope on Odysseus coming back and that Menelaus started a war for his love. She--” Giggles interrupted the story. “She told me that the blood of warriors flows in my veins.”

“Smart lady,” Spencer remarked, making Piper laugh more. 

“I guess the point is that I’m not about to give up on us.” Spencer’s brow furrowed.

“You were packing up when I arrived.” Piper winced, not from pain, but embarrassment.

“I thought you weren’t coming back home,” she said. “I waited about an hour before starting to pack up.”

“Woah,” Spencer laughed. “You gave up on me after an hour? Penelope waited 10 years for Odysseus.”

“Yeah, according to Homer,” Piper said, pouting. “He was more a poet than a historian. Don’t get me wrong, beautiful author, terrible realist.” Neither of them realised they had started to sway in the living room of Spencer’s apartment, just grateful to have the other in their arms.


End file.
